Police Inspector D T P Cowling and Sergeant R Honeywill,

both of Bideford, who joined Devon Constabulary together on August 1st, 1937, are soon to retire – on the same day, July 31st.

They have been at Bideford since Inspector Cowling was appointed the town’s police chief in 1962 after having served as sergeant at Seaton for seven years. Previously he was at Newton Poppleford.

During the war he served in the RAF in the Middle East, having been one of the first batch of pilots to train in South Africa.

He is a member of the county police water polo team, having swum for them since he joined the force, and he formerly played rugger for the country police team.

Road safety has always been a particular interest. At Seaton he organised cycling proficiency tests for children and he is a keen member of Bideford Road Safety Committee. He holds the Queen’s Coronation Medal.

Sergt Honeywill is senior sergeant at Bideford. He was stationed at Crown Hill, Bampton, Torquay, Lifton and Okehampton before being promoted in 1958 and transferred to Hoops.

He served as a CSM with the special investigation branch of the Corps of Military Police during the war.

Both Inspector Cowling and Sergt Honeywill are to continue to live in the Bideford district.

Article dated 16 June 1967